Czech bishop decries “ruthless welcome policy” and obfuscation about jihad terror, is censored by his own paper

Censored by his own newspaper! The Catholic Church seems much more intent on enforcing its new dogma that Islam is a Religion of Peace than in making sure that Catholics understand and accept any of the things it should be teaching.

(Prague) Novinky , the most important Internet portal of the Czech Republic reported yesterday on an article by Cardinal Dominik Duka, Archbishop of Prague and Primate of Bohemia, he had written after the assassination of the French priest, Abbé Jacques Hamel. Abbé Hamel had his throat cut on July 26, while celebrating Holy Mass in the church Saint Etienne du Rouvray in Rouen. The priest was then beheaded. The two murderers were shot dead by police. The Islamic State(IS) took credit for the act. Cardinal Duka sent his response to the renowned Catholic weekly Katolický Týdeník . This, however, refused to publish the article. The cardinal then published it on his Facebook page.

The Catholic cardinal had expressed himself critically in the past about Pope Francis’ “welcoming culture”. In his article, he warned of a “disproportionate and ruthless welcome policy”. An expression which the Cardinal apparently was missed by the censorship of his own subordinates.

The caution and wisdom expressed by the Primate of Bohemia against Islamic immigrants sparked polemical attacks. The advocates of “welcoming culture” are well organized and deeply rooted, especially in the media, even in the Catholic media, as the Cardinal’s bitter experience demonstrated.

Cardinal Duka was bitterly attacked by Msgr. Tomas Halik, one of the most famous Czech priests. The sociologist and philosopher of religion, who was ordained a priest in the 70s underground, became the General Secretary of the Czech Bishops’ Conference and advisor to President Vaclav Havel in the 90s. Halik is Professor of Sociology at Charles University and rector of the University Church. He attacked his bishop: “The real allies of the Islamic State against the Western world are those who do not know the difference between Islam and jihadist terrorists.”

Murder of Rouen: “All who have downplayed such acts, should now think”

Full disagrees Cardinal Duka. For him, the killing of Abbé Hamel was a “lesson” for all be those who previously downplayed similar incidents and downplayed the perpetrators as mentally ill and frustrated. Furthermore, to remain silent “would be suicide for our society,” said the Archbishop of Prague. He also called for more to pray for the victims of terrorism and to seek fewer excuses and apologies for terrorists.

The Cardinal ends with a reminder and an invitation: In Islam, says the primate, there are hidden violent tendencies, which is why those Muslims who do not share these tendencies, should react against if they wish have any share in credibility.

It is piquant to note that the weekly Katolický Týdeník, which imposed censorship on the cardinal for his critical attitude towards mass immigration and the Islamization of Europe, belongs to the Czech Bishops’ Conference.

In the time of the Czechoslovak Soviet Republic there had indeed been a Catholic journal, but one which had been controlled by the communist regime. It had the task to drive a wedge between Catholics, which is why it enjoyed little prestige among these. After the collapse of the communist dictatorship, the new Catholic weekly was founded by a private publisher.
As Katolický Týdeník got into financial difficulties in the 90s, the paper was adopted, rescued and supported by the Czech Bishops’ Conference. The journal is in fact the Church newspaper for the entire Czech Republic. Chief Editor Antonin Randa censored not only his own bishop but also his own publisher. Cardinal Duka is namely, also, President of the Czech Bishops’ Conference.